After nearly two decades at the helm, Mike Tomlin is no longer the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach.
Tomlin is reportedly stepping down as the Steelers’ head coach, informing the team that he plans to take a break from coaching. The shocking news comes a day after the team got blown out by the Texans in their 30-6 wild-card loss.
Tomlin has coached Pittsburgh since 2007, won a Super Bowl in ‘08, has never had a losing season during his 19-year stint and earned the title as the longest-tenured head coach of a North American professional sports franchise—until today.
Tomlin’s last game with the team ended in bitterness as the Steelers yet again fell short in the postseason. He’s the third coach in the AFC North to be out of a job after the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski and the Ravens fired John Harbaugh.
NFL fans were left stunned by news of Tomlin and the Steelers parting ways:
I get it. Trust me I do, but I’m sad to see Mike T go. Sometime change is needed for everyone. Job well done big brother!
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 13, 2026
Not unexpected, but startling nonetheless. The #Steelers have only had three coaches since 1969. https://t.co/EG2cg3MUxg
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) January 13, 2026
Have never been more interested in a team's offseason than I am in the 2026 Steelers offseason https://t.co/estNzxZdJd
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 13, 2026
a great coach who will have plenty of options. things just felt stuck in Pittsburgh post-Big Ben. after 19 years maybe everyone will be better off with a fresh start. https://t.co/V8faJveRft
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) January 13, 2026
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) January 13, 2026
No pressure, Art Rooney II. https://t.co/UWaeo9FFiu
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) January 13, 2026
tomlin, harbaugh, mcdaniel all unemployed. gonna be a fascinating off season of nfl musical chairs https://t.co/q8UXTgAFGs
— claire de lune (@ClaireMPLS) January 13, 2026
In the same time frame there have been six popes https://t.co/0iypJ2nBJ8
— Kirk A. Bado (@kirk_bado) January 13, 2026
Mike Tomlin informing the Steelers he’s quitting right before they were about to fire him. pic.twitter.com/KOr23VViNZ https://t.co/5Jae7pFjQt
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) January 13, 2026
It’s the end of an era for the Steelers. One can only hope brighter days lie ahead.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Ranking the NFL Head Coach Openings With the Steelers’ Job Now Available
- Why the Steelers Should Trade Star Edge Rusher in Wake of Mike Tomlin’s Departure
- How the NFL Views the Steelers’ Job, Plus Top Candidates to Replace Mike Tomlin
- NFL Coaching Cycle Timeline: A Look at Every Coaching Change of the 2025 Season
- Mike Tomlin's Secret Power Was Relationship Building
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL World Stunned After Mike Tomlin, Steelers Part Ways.
